Ruthless Heir: Chapter 29

I’ve never slept so well in my entire life.

The nightmares that have plagued me since I was old enough to remember them already seem like a thing of the past as I slip out from under the covers and look down at my sleeping queen.

Last night, she protected me from the darkness.

Last night, she grabbed onto my heart and squeezed.

Last night, we became one. Over and over again.

I must have cum in her half a dozen times. Each orgasm more desperate than the last. Neither of us wanted the love making to end. The passion was too intoxicating.

But I guess we must have dozed off at one point, because sunlight now seeps in through the rounded bedroom windows.

The last thing I want to do is leave Bianca for a single second. If life was perfect, I’d slip right back under these covers and hold her until the end of time.

But life isn’t perfect. Not yet.

There’s still so much work to do. So many loose ends to tie up.

So many horrible decisions to make.

But all of that can wait—at least, it can for a little while.

As silently as I can, I sneak out of the bedroom and make my way downstairs.

Roz and Tytus are already up. I spot them chatting through the living room window.

All of the black covers and ceremonial implements have been taken down. There’s no sign of what happened here last night.

But it all still lingers deep inside of me.

Stepping out into sunlight, I walk towards my friends.

They stop chatting the second they see me.

Tytus smirks.

“Have a good night?”

“It went well,” I nod. “Thank you for your help.”

“We did what we had to do,” Roz shrugs.

“And we’ll all be greatly rewarded for it, right?” Tytus adds.

“Of course,” I respond, furrowing my brow. What a strange time to ask for assurance. “Is everything okay?”

“It will be,” Tytus nods.

“Once we get the priests back to Poland, we can begin gathering your inheritance,” Roz explains. “Then we’ll be more than just okay. We’ll be fucking royalty.”

“Technically, we already are royalty,” I point out.

“No. You are technically royalty,” Roz reminds me. “The second you kissed Bianca and sealed your union, it became so. But Ty and I don’t have royal blood. We don’t become shit until our empire is built. And we can’t start building until we get a positive pregnancy test.”

“You’ll have it by the time you touch down in Poland.”

“You’re not coming with us?” Tytus and Roz both ask in unison.

“There’s work to be done here.”

“So why not get us to do it?” Tytus asks. “After all of this hard work, why not go sit on your throne?”

“Because I haven’t earned it yet,” I sigh. “Any crown I put on right now could be ripped off my head in a heartbeat. We’ve made more enemies than friends in our quest for power. Something will need to be done about that.”

“You don’t think we can handle Drago and the Kilpatricks?”

“I’m sure you could handle Drago. And it’s not the Kilpatricks I’m particularly worried about.”

“Fuck,” Tytus grumbles, realizing where I’m going even before Roz does. “You want to try to negotiate with Ray Byrne, don’t you?”

“For Bianca’s sake,” I admit.

“What about us?” Roz blurts out, a sliver of hurt piercing her voice.

It’s like a knife to the gut.

“Yeah,” Tytus piles on. “There’s only two ways that turns out. Either negotiations with the Irish go south, and we lose you, or you get everything you want, and we’re left in the dust.”

“Who said anything about leaving you in the dust?” I quickly bite back.

“No one has to,” Tytus replies. “I may not be tech smart like Roz, but you know full well I can see three moves ahead in any game of chess.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“The Byrnes, the Kilpatricks, the Barinovs, they might accept you. I mean, you’ve married their daughter and inherited an empire, after all. If they were smart, they’d forgive your sins and open the door for you. It’d be the only way to avoid a devastating war. But us? We’ll just become rooks in their game of power. They have no loyalty to us.”

“But I do,” I insist. “I’m loyal to you two, for now and forever. There will be no negotiation terms that don’t include giving you two everything you’ve ever wanted; everything you’ve ever worked for; everything you deserve.”

“That won’t be possible if we willingly join another entity,” Roz sighs. “We don’t want to work for anybody, Gabriel. We want to work with each other. With you.”

“Fuck,” I grumble. The domestic bliss I left upstairs is already crumbling. “I won’t let you two down, I promise. I just need to figure this shit out. There has to be a way everyone can come out on top.”

“There is a way,” Tytus says. “You and Bianca come with us, back to Poland. The second her pregnancy is confirmed, the priests will lead us to everything. Then, we can plan our next move, together. We can conquer the entire world, together.”

“I can’t do that to Bianca,” I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Don’t get lost in your feelings,” Rozalia warns me.

“I’m not, I’m trying to be smart about this shit. We only get one chance to–”

“There’s nothing smart about being in love.”

I don’t even try to deny it.

Fuck. Back when this entire plan was originally being formed, there wasn’t any concern paid to Bianca’s feelings.

She’d be ripped from her family, dragged from her homeland, and used for my benefit, whether she liked it or not. She was only ever supposed to be a pawn. A pawn that I hated. That I could find pleasure in abusing for my own power.

But even back then, I think a part of me knew I only ever hated her because I thought she hated me.

It’s what I revealed in my vows.

It’s the truth.

Now, I’m in love. And I can’t imagine purposely hurting my queen—especially not if there are other options, no matter how risky they are.

“Do you trust me?” I ask.

Tytus and Roz both share a quick glance.

“Yes.” Roz speaks first.

“Same here,” Tytus agrees.

“And I trust you, with everything. That’s why I’m sending you back to Poland. I’m giving you the keys to my inheritance. No supervision. My empire will be yours. Yours to prepare. To cultivate. To control. You will be royalty. No one will be able to negotiate with me without taking you two into consideration. No matter what happens, you will get what you want. You will get what you deserve. Do you understand?”

Birds chirp in the short hesitation between my question and their responses.

“I understand,” Roz nods.

“You’ve never led us astray before,” Tytus agrees, reaching out his hand.

“Fuck handshakes,” I grumble.

Reaching my arms out, I embrace my lifelong friends in a bear hug.

“We’ll do our best,” Roz assures me, grumbling into my shoulder.

“And I’ll do my best. I love you guys.”

That generates a few chuckles as we pull apart again.

“Bianca’s making you soft,” Roz smirks. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you use the L word before.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” I smile back. “Just look at us. For the first time ever, we’re in control.”

“Let’s keep it that way,” Tytus says.

“Whatever it takes.”

“So then, who are you going to go after first?” Roz asks. Together, we all turn and start walking towards the van. It’s already been filled, and I quickly spot the dark priests, silently sitting in the back, surrounded by their accoutrements, unflinching.

“Drago,” I say. Though, I’m still unsure. “Maybe, if I can bring his head to Ray Byrne, I’ll have some leverage.”

“You already have leverage,” Tytus notes. “You’ll have an army and a fortune.”

“Ray Byrne has access to a bigger army, and multiple fortunes.”

“But he doesn’t have us. He’ll never have us. That’s our advantage.”

“Sure,” I agree. “But one way or another, we’re going to have to take Drago down. Better it be sooner than later.”

“I won’t argue with you there.”

Opening up the driver side door, Tytus hops inside the van.

Roz has already gone around back to shut the trunk when I reach out and shake Tytus’ hand.

“We’re so close,” I remind him. “I can hardly believe it.”

“I can,” Tytus nods. “We’ve done everything right. We’ve adapted to every bump in the road. There are only a few more hurdles left. We jump those, and we’re there.”

“Good thing my legs are fresh.”

“So are mine. Be safe, Gabriel. Don’t get yourself killed.”

“No promises,” I joke.

That makes Tytus chuckle.

When Roz jumps into the passenger seat, he starts the van.

“Say goodbye to the sleeping beauty for me,” Roz shouts from the window.

“And keep us updated on the pregnancy test,” Tytus adds.

“Will do.”

With that, Tytus backs up and turns around. There’s nothing more to do but stand and watch as the van disappears into the dense forest ahead.

Shit.

A knot has formed in my gut.

It’s quickly being joined by a raging fire.

My loyalty was just called into question, and by the last people I’d ever expect.

But that doesn’t mean their concerns weren’t legit.

When I turn back towards the cabin, my gaze is immediately drawn up to the bedroom window.

There, standing behind the sun draped glass, wrapped in the same white bedsheets we sullied so many times last night, is an angel.

My angel.

My queen.

Bianca stares down at me with a blank look on her face. Well, not entirely blank. Even from this distance, I can spot the faintest glimmer in her crystal blue eyes, and the smallest smile lifting up the corners of her perfect pink lips.

Fuck.

Tytus and Roz were right. This is dangerous.

I’d do anything for her.

But I’d also do anything for my friends.

Goddamn. Love is such a fickle bitch.

This would be so much easier if I wasn’t loyal to anyone—not that I would change this feeling for the world.

I’m willing to kill for these three people. Die for these three people.

But for as much as I love Tytus and Roz, my love for Bianca is different. It’s more romantic. Fresher.

I have to be careful.

Still, my cock stirs alive as Bianca and I lock eyes.

Dropping the bedsheets from her body, she turns around and struts out of sight.

My fingers clench into fists. I bite down on my lower lip.

All of my life, I’ve been independent to a fault. Even Drago could only hope to steer me in the right direction through a tangled web of lies and deceit.

But Bianca?

She can control me without saying a single word.

Hell, I’m already storming back into the cabin and racing up the stairs before I can even think about how to handle what comes next.

All I want is her.

It doesn’t seem to matter that my once frozen heart has been placed over a pit of fire and thawed to the bone; that, if I don’t hurry, it could be burned to ashes… along with everyone I care about. My queen calls to me.

So, I go to her.

I’ll make my decision while my cock is in her cunt; while I stare deep into those crystal blue eyes. That’s when everything is clearest. That’s when the world makes the most sense.

That’s when I’ll know what needs to be done. Right?

Whatever path I choose, one thing will never change.

No matter what, those I care about will be protected. They will be rewarded.

First, though, I’m going to reward myself.

Because, in order for this to all work out, I might just need to take on the entire world by my fucking self.

And that’s going to be a hell of a task. Even if it will be a small price to pay to keep my friends happy… and to hold onto Bianca’s love.

Whatever it takes.

I’ll do whatever it fucking takes.